TAMPA BAY: HITTING: OF DESMOND JENNINGS' on-base skills will lead to tons of runs and SBs despite his mediocre batting average. 2B BEN ZOBRIST bounced back from a disappointing 2010, and will continue to produce near the top of the batting order. Though a series of nagging injuries plagued his 2011 season, 3B EVAN LONGORIA slugged 17 HR in his last 53 games. Fully healthy this season, he'll be an elite power-hitter with double-digit SB potential. OF B.J. UPTON's days in Tampa may be numbered. He's an elite athlete, but he just might lose his head if he's traded into a tough situation. After a hot start, OF MATT JOYCE settled in as the productive hitter he is. He should get to play every day in right field. SSs SEAN RODRIGUEZ and REID BRIGNAC will battle for ABs but neither hits on a consistent basis. C JOSE MOLINA was acquired for his defense much more than his hitting. DH LUKE SCOTT can also play some 1B when slugger CARLOS PENA, who is returning to Tampa after hitting 28 homers for the Cubs in 2011, needs a rest. STARTING PITCHING: DAVID PRICE was a little more hittable than in 2010, but he increased his already-high strikeout rate while cutting back on walks. His win total should rise from a disappointing 12 last year. JAMES SHIELDS put his 2010 disaster season behind him and became a Cy Young candidate. His peripheral stats and skills weren't all that different the past two years, it was a big swing of luck. Some people are putting out the Bust Alert on Rookie of the Year JEREMY HELLICKSON. He had the league's luckiest batting average on balls in play (.217), but he improved as last season progressed. MATT MOORE may be this year's R.O.Y. after a dominant late-season call up. He'll be among the league leaders in strikeouts for years to come. WADE DAVIS is a mediocre pitcher who eats innings at the back of the rotation. RELIEF PITCHING: KYLE FARNSWORTH looked as strong as he has in years, converting 25 of 31 saves in his first season with the Rays. He's the closer again this year, but it won't take much for him to lose that job after an unsteady last third of the 2011 season. JOEL PERALTA may overtake Farnsworth for ninth-inning duties at some point this season. Peralta was 5-for-5 on saves in September when Farnsworth was hurt, and gave up only one run in his final 21.3 innings. Possible future closer JAKE McGEE progressed nicely after a tough start to 2011. He's got potentially lethal stuff. Former Angels hurler FERNANDO RODNEY is looking to bounce back after a wild season (28 walks, 26 strikeouts in 32 IP).

TEXAS: HITTING: 2B IAN KINSLER will lead off again. A few less at-'em balls and he's an MVP candidate. SS ELVIS ANDRUS is coming along offensively, but his poor SB% could lead to fewer attempts. Injuries are the only thing that will keep OF JOSH HAMILTON out of the MVP discussion. He'll likely start declining at age 35, but DH MICHAEL YOUNG can't help but put up numbers batting cleanup in this lineup. 3B ADRIAN BELTRE was unstoppable in Arlington. Like Hamilton, he's an MVP candidate if healthy. Injuries are piling up for OF NELSON CRUZ, who still has monster power but doesn't run as much anymore. C MIKE NAPOLI is MLB's best offensive catcher and will play some 1B on 'off' days. Because their lineup is stacked, Texas can play defensive-minded/offensively limited 1B MITCH MORELAND. And because Ron Washington would prefer to play Hamilton in left, speedy CF CRAIG GENTRY looks to have the edge over DAVID MURPHY for the starting job in center. Cuban import LEONYS MARTIN will start the season in Triple-A, but JULIO BORBON could earn a significant OF role. STARTING PITCHING: COLBY LEWIS can overpower when he's on, but as a flyball pitcher in cozy Arlington he's going to have a handful of ugly days. The much-ballyhooed YU DARVISH brings a deep arsenal of pitches and a durable frame from Japan. He's probably the best Japanese arm to ever cross the Pacific. Lefty MATT HARRISON solidified his rotation spot. He has topped out as a respectable No. 3-type starter. DEREK HOLLAND has top-of-the-rotation upside. Consistency has been an issue, but hopefully another year and some big postseason moments helped to cure that. The big story is NEFTALI FELIZ moving to the rotation. He was considered a future ace in the minors, but the transition might not be easy. His K/BB ratio plummeted last year and his flyball tendencies could spell disaster in Arlington. Keep in mind the Rangers made a successful closer-to-ace switch with C.J. Wilson. Top prospect MARTIN PEREZ could be an option in the second half. RELIEF PITCHING: Veteran JOE NATHAN was brought in and handed the closer's job. He struggled in his first year back from Tommy John surgery, but most pitchers who've had the procedure don't come all the way back until their second full season. If Nathan falters, MIKE ADAMS could be next in line. He had no trouble transitioning from pitcher-friendly San Diego in the National League to hitter-friendly Arlington and the A.L.'s superior bats. KOJI UEHARA would also be in the closer discussion if Nathan falters, but he was unhappy about being traded from Baltimore and faltered for the Rangers late last year. ALEXI OGANDO got a huge boost from his defense and his bullpen before a late-season collapse. He threw by far a career-high in innings; better stamina would allow him to take the next step and possibly rejoin the rotation.

After an up-and-down rookie campaign, Matt Moore is hoping to make significant strides in 2013.

He's headed down the right path if his season debut is any indication.

Moore takes the mound opposite fellow lefty Derek Holland as the visiting Tampa Bay Rays try to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the surging Texas Rangers on Wednesday.

Considered one of the top prospects in baseball in 2011, Moore had an uneven first half of 2012 before going 5-1 with a 1.97 ERA in his first eight starts after the All-Star break. He failed to win any of his next five, posting a 6.14 ERA, before winning his season finale by holding the White Sox to one hit in 5 1-3 scoreless innings.

The 23-year-old Moore had a similarly impressive performance to win Friday, allowing two hits and striking out eight over six innings of a 4-0 victory over Cleveland.

"It was the perfect time to get him out - 100 pitches, six innings," manager Joe Maddon said. "He goes home feeling really good about himself. That's a great game for him to build on."

Moore, whose 4.11 walks per nine innings last year was the seventh-highest mark in baseball, only issued two free passes against the Indians.

"My mindset this entire week while preparing has been to stay with that same tempo from the last start," Moore told MLB's official website. "I just want to stay with the things that were working for me last week."

The Rangers (6-2) know all too well of Moore's ability. The only two times he faced them both came in the 2011 AL division series, going 1-0 with a 0.90 ERA as he allowed three hits in 10 innings.

Moore, though, could have his hands full this time around with the Texas offense on a roll. The Rangers have outscored opponents 36-18 during a 6-1 run and improved to 4-1 at home with Tuesday's 6-1 victory.

Lance Berkman went 3 for 4 with two RBIs, raising his average to .480.

The Rays will try to get back on track against Holland (0-0, 2.57), who impressed in his first start as he gave up two runs over seven innings of Friday's 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

"I'm very happy," he said. "Overall, the performance was great. I gave us a chance to win, and the guys came through for me. If I keep doing this and giving my team a chance to win, it's going to be a great season."

Including playoffs, Holland is 5-2 over nine starts against the Rays despite a 5.03 ERA. He allowed two hits and struck out a career-high 11 over eight innings of one-run ball in his last outing against them, a 3-1, 11-inning loss Sept. 7.

Holland will need to be cautious with Longoria, who has gone 11 for 26 with four homers and five doubles in their matchups, including playoffs.

"We joke around with each other when I see him. It's like I throw him beach balls," Holland said. "I just have to go out and execute my pitches. Do the same thing I did in my last start and everything will fall into place."

Zobrist has also fared well against Holland, with seven hits - four for extra bases - in his last 21 at-bats against him, including the postseason.